few eggs, moulting?

The Classroom @ The Coop: management archive 2: few eggs, moulting?
By jody petersen (Jode) on Sunday, July 1, 2001 - 10:14 am:

I have 11 hens and in the past have gotten about 8 eggs a day. For the last few weeks I only get 1-3 eggs. I thought they were laying in the yard so I kept them in for a few days and still only got 3 eggs. Two seem to be going broody, so no eggs from them, and I have noticed lots of feathers around and ratty picked feathers on some of the birds (though they don't pick at each other as far as I can tell). Are they moulting already? They are about 15 weeks old. How long does this last? My best layer (my easter egg hen) hasn't given me an egg for weeks, and I have customers for my eggs. Any thoughts?
Jody

By jody petersen (Jode) on Sunday, July 1, 2001 - 11:47 am:

I mean they are 15 months old, not weeks!
Jody

By Cjeanr on Sunday, July 1, 2001 - 12:43 pm:

Jody, Just about the right age for a good moult! Summer moults often leave them almost bare, pretty disreputable looking for a while! Feed them well--it will take a while to grow those new feathers and laying will resume. Nothing you can do about it in the meantime--it's just what chickens do. Good luck, CJR

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